


The Unbreakable is Broken

by ColorMeRed



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm being mean to Barba, M/M, Physical Abuse, Sad Fluff, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 09:46:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10303856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorMeRed/pseuds/ColorMeRed
Summary: -Sonny had never figured Rafael for the cheating type, however as he looked at the bruises and cuts that littered his small body, Sonny had never figured Rafael for being the victim of domestic abuse either. -Sonny discovers a dark secret, one Barba never wanted anyone to know.





	

**Author's Note:**

> While this one-shot doesn't go into any real detail, viewers beware. It skims the dark topic of domestic abuse and may make some readers uncomfortable.

They had left earlier, staying at the bar until just before closing, both surprised to find the other there considering the day and the weather. It was raining hard and lightening lit up the black sky outside that seemed to be smothering the clustered city. Rafael had literally bumped into Sonny on his way in, bumped into him because they had both been running to the door to avoid getting drenched.

 

Sonny had caught him, the taller man almost sending the smaller male tumbling onto the dirty sidewalk below.

 

They had said their apologies and then sat down together at the bar and started chatting. They had sat and drank and talked for hours and neither was drunk when they left, even though that would be the excuse one of them would be willing to use in the morning. However now, with scotch and beer running through their blood they both felt brave enough to act upon the obvious attraction there was between them. Both were tired of dancing around the sexual tension and both may have been developing more than just a physical want for the other.

 

Sonny had found out Rafael had a partner when Barba’s phone had rung and upon not answering rung again.

 

And again.

 

And again.

 

And Again.

 

Each time the same number appeared and Rafael became more distressed with each call he ignored.

 

Carisi had cocked a brow and then it clicked in his head.

 

At first, he had been angry.

 

He had asked slowly and carefully who it was and when Rafael didn’t answer Carisi growled and shot up from the couch. Carisi had pulled up a hand to throw a finger into Rafael’s chest, but had stopped when Barba had screeched and shot back on the couch, covering his face as he stumbled away. Sonny had stopped and stared, watching as Rafael tried to compose himself, as he had tried to quell the tremors that shook his body. Sonny continued to stare, dumbfounded as Barba reined himself back in, completely avoiding eye contact and pulling himself further away when Carisi moved a foot closer.

 

“Barba….”

 

Rafael flinched at his voice.

 

Sonny stepped closer and Rafael had to force himself to sit still and not move back again. Carisi had sat down beside him and then asked a simple question, one that he hadn’t thought to ask before.

 

“Barba take your jacket off please.”

 

Because Rafael had had his jacket on the entire time in the bar, which he never did because Rafael didn’t think it was good manners. Barba had not taken it off when they had stumbled through the door to Sonny’s apartment, groping and kissing each other like their lives depended on it. Rafael had kept it on this entire time and steered Sonny’s hands away from his arms and sides, coaxing him to keep them on his back.

 

Sonny waited and Rafael stared.

 

Rafael swallowed hard and finally looked at Sonny.

 

“Please, take your jacket off Rafael.”

 

Sonny asked again, his voice soft and hopefully comforting.

 

It was the same voice he used with the SVU’s victims.

 

Rafael had waited for another long moment before slowly complying. He peeled the expensive jacket off and laid it gently across the living room table. Sonny waited as Rafael got comfortable again and then waited for Barba to roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt, because even though they were both off today and could wear regular clothes, Barba was still dressed like diamonds.

 

Sonny thought of him as a diamond.

 

Beautiful and perfect and _very_ difficult to get ahold of.

 

Rafael slowly turned away, whether it was to give himself better leverage or to hide his obvious discomfort and still shaking hands, Sonny didn’t know. He unbuttoned his shirt and took it off as well, then his under shirt.

 

Sonny had never figured Rafael for the cheating type, however as he looked at the bruises and cuts that littered his small body, Sonny had never figured Rafael for being the victim of domestic abuse either. Carisi reached out a hand and laid it softly on Rafael’s back, a violent jerk was the response he got. Sonny ran his hand over Rafael’s back, gentle and careful and slowly and finally after a few long moments, Barba began to relax under his soothing touch.

 

“How long?” Carisi whispered.

 

“A handful of months.”

 

The reply was softer than Sonny’s whisper.

 

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Sonny asked, running his hand across Rafael’s back in a repetitive circle.

 

Barba flinched and at the sour hiss that trickled through his teeth Sonny lifted his hand away from a rather bad bruise on his left side, it ran long and dark along his rib cage. Carisi swallowed hard and scooted back some as Rafael turned around, his eyes set and hard, or they tried to be anyway.

 

Sonny saw through the coldness that danced just on top.

 

Sonny saw past the weak aggression that was wobbly at best.

 

Sonny saw the humiliation, the fear, the desperation.

 

Sonny saw Rafael’s pain.

 

“I don’t know.” Rafael finally said.

 

Carisi nodded slowly, Rafael was cracking, his eyes bright and sad and his body shaking and tense and battered. Sonny wouldn’t push anymore tonight. He wouldn’t make Barba spill his guts right here and right now. Rafael didn’t need forced right now, he needed care and comfort, both of which Sonny suspected he had been denied for a very long time now. Sonny leaned forward, slowly and carefully, and watched with a heavy heart as the lawyer tracked his every move. He gently brought his hands up and cupped Barba’s face, leaning in carefully and locking their lips. Rafael melted against him and gripped onto Carisi, holding onto him like the taller man was his only life line. Sonny wanted to take away his pain, he wanted to make Rafael whole again, but he didn’t know how to comfort a man who he had always seen as indestructible. Someone he had thought was untouchable, someone he had always seen stay so strong in the wake of even the most vicious devastation. Sonny didn’t know how to fix a broken man he never knew could break.

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently when I'm seriously lacking sleep, I abuse Rafael. I am both ashamed and ready to do it again.
> 
> This work is unedited, please forgive the errors I've missed.
> 
>  
> 
> Once again, for those that venture through and read my mindless drabbles, thank you.


End file.
